Chapter 496

"Ye Ye Jianhuang, aren't we due to settle our old accounts?" The man who looked humble and meek had been crouching on the ground, but now he stood up, hands still clasped, smiling foolishly at Ye Ye Jianhuang.

Chu Shaoqiang didn't recognize this middle-aged man, but he could see Ye Ye Jianhuang's fear.

Ye Ye Jianhuang was indeed afraid.

This was Sun Sun Tiecheng, the former Lord of Fool's City, once feared by all.

Ye Ye Jianhuang packed his pipe with tobacco, lit it,

Sun Sun Tiecheng chuckled: "I've got more than just you to settle accounts with. Lucky for me, I ran into you today—let's start with you."

Ye Ye Jianhuang spat out a puff of smoke, intending to let his body dissolve into the mist.

This was one of the most difficult techniques for smoke cultivators to counter—once successfully transformed, many attacks would no longer affect them.

Sun Sun Tiecheng waved his hand, dispersing the smoke before him, then coughed twice. "Can't you smoke something better? This crap is choking me."

That shitty tobacco leaf will kill you someday. When you're dead, I'll burn you—and then you'll turn to smoke anyway!"

The smoke cleared. Ye Ye Jianhuang had not turned into smoke.

Because Sun Sun Tiecheng had just said: when Ye Ye Jianhuang died, burning him would turn him to smoke.

So if he turned into smoke, did that mean Ye Ye Jianhuang was already dead?

Ye Ye Jianhuang shook his head hard.

No. He couldn't think like that.

It was a Fool's Technique—reversing cause and effect.

Ye Ye Jianhuang could turn to smoke because he was a smoke cultivator—it had nothing to do with life or death.

But Sun Sun Tiecheng kept smiling at him: "Try turning into smoke. See if you die. See if you can turn back!"

After a stalemate, Ye Ye Jianhuang dared not transform. He took another drag and blew smoke directly onto Sun Sun Tiecheng, hoping to turn him into smoke.

He knew it was hard—but even if he turned just a part of him, even for a moment, it would give him the opening he needed.

Sun Sun Tiecheng waved his hand. He didn't turn to smoke, only coughed twice more. "You smoking tree leaves? If you blow smoke at me again, I'll sew your mouth shut."

"With your pitiful skills, you think you can turn me into smoke? Today, whoever turns to smoke dies right here!"

A Gambler's Technique—All or Nothing.

Sun Sun Tiecheng and Ye Ye Jianhuang had made their wager.

If Ye Ye Jianhuang turned Sun Sun Tiecheng into smoke, Sun Sun Tiecheng would forfeit his life.

If Ye Ye Jianhuang turned himself into smoke, he would forfeit his own life.

It cut off Ye Ye Jianhuang's escape route.

Did Sun Sun Tiecheng know Gambler's Techniques?

Ye Ye Jianhuang wasn't sure—but he dared not gamble. He couldn't confirm whether Sun Sun Tiecheng had dabbled in other Dao paths, nor could he tell which of his words were true.

He dared not turn to smoke himself, and couldn't turn Sun Sun Tiecheng into smoke—what now?

Ye Ye Jianhuang panicked. His tobacco pipe clattered against the cement counter, scattering ash everywhere.

He still had many techniques—he could turn smoke into poison, into weapons, even into prisons to trap his foes.

But would any of it work on Sun Sun Tiecheng?

With his smoke transformation gone, Ye Ye Jianhuang had already abandoned the idea of fighting. He wasn't even sure he could escape.

Sun Sun Tiecheng, hands behind his back, spoke slowly: "Ye Ye Jianhuang, you call yourself the Three-Bag Pipe Master. You've only smoked one bag—the fire's not hot enough yet. Keep smoking. Switch to better tobacco. I'll wait."

The Three-Bag Pipe Master, Ye Ye Jianhuang, the Smoke Cultivation Master, quietly put away his pipe and bowed deeply to Sun Sun Tiecheng.

"City Lord Sun, I wronged you back then. Spare my life—I submit to your judgment."

Sun Sun Tiecheng smiled. "Submit to my judgment? Do you want to turn to smoke—or to ash?"

Ye Ye Jianhuang understood: turn to smoke meant death. Turn to ash meant complete annihilation—even the soul would vanish.

"City Lord Sun, please spare my life!" Ye Ye Jianhuang pleaded again.

"Is your life this?" Sun Sun Tiecheng reached out through the air and grabbed. Ye Ye Jianhuang felt something inside him vanish.

Sun Sun Tiecheng held a clump of air, rolling it between his fingers.

What technique was this? Had he pulled out his life?

Ye Ye Jianhuang sensed something within that clump of air. If Sun Sun Tiecheng crushed it, his life would end.

"City Lord Sun, have mercy."

Sun Sun Tiecheng nodded. "Go to Fool's City and wait for me. Don't enter the city—wait at the gate."

Ye Ye Jianhuang said, "I haven't been to Fool's City in years. I don't even know where it is now…"

Sun Sun Tiecheng smiled. "Find it. You're a Smoke Cultivation Master—it's not hard. You'll find it."

Ye Ye Jianhuang dared not speak further. He picked up his pipe and left.

He did not transform into smoke. He used no technique. Like an ordinary man, he stepped slowly, carefully, out of the abandoned factory.

Sun Sun Tiecheng turned to Chu Shaoqiang. "Whose man are you?"

Chu Shaoqiang replied: "Anyone's."

The answer sounded pitiful—but it came from his true heart.

Sun Sun Tiecheng smiled. "Where's Did Honglian?"

Chu Shaoqiang picked up the briefcase from the ground and offered it with both hands to Sun Sun Tiecheng.

Sun Sun Tiecheng frowned. "Still trying to fool me with this case?"

Chu Shaoqiang quickly reached in and pulled out Did Honglian.

Layers of magical arrays protected it—but no one else would dare touch it.

Sun Sun Tiecheng showed no fear. He reached out and took Did Honglian directly with his bare hand.

Chu Shaoqiang had set a trap within the arrays—he could activate a technique at any moment to dismantle them.

Once dismantled, Sun Sun Tiecheng would directly touch Did Honglian—and Did Honglian would soon summon heavenly light.

But Sun Sun Tiecheng wasn't afraid. He held Did Honglian in one hand, admiring it for a long time, utterly unconcerned that Chu Shaoqiang might act.

"I'll take this." Sun Sun Tiecheng tucked Did Honglian into his sleeve. Chu Shaoqiang thought his sleeve couldn't possibly be that large—how had he hidden it?

After securing Did Honglian, Sun Sun Tiecheng told Chu Shaoqiang: "Tell the soap seller this is in my possession. If he wants it back, he can come get it."

Chu Shaoqiang nodded vigorously.

Sun Sun Tiecheng pointed to the ladder below. "Is there a crucian carp down there?"

Indeed, there was a crucian carp. Chu Shaoqiang said: "He's the Inner State's guard of the passage."

Sun Sun Tiecheng picked up a steel rod from the ground, bent it into a hook, and called over Shi Shi Gongxing to sharpen the tip.

Once the hook was ready, Sun Sun Tiecheng tore a steel beam from the factory, used it as a fishing rod, tied a rope to it, attached the hook, and cast it into the water. He sat calmly by the pool and began fishing.

"Do you think the crucian carp will bite?"

Chu Shaoqiang hurried to reply: "I don't know how to fish. I don't understand the methods here."

Sun Sun Tiecheng was confident: "I've cast the hook—how could he not bite?"

Chu Shaoqiang replied: "But… not every cast catches a fish."

Sun Sun Tiecheng added: "This hook's huge—made just for him. How could he refuse such an honor?"

Chu Shaoqiang said: "He does look like a crucian carp—but he's a person. An Inner State man…"

Sun Sun Tiecheng continued: "When I catch him, I'll cook him. Will you eat him?"

What should Chu Shaoqiang say?

This crucian carp is an Inner State man—how could he eat him?

"Master, I don't like fish."

Sun Sun Tiecheng laughed. "You care about this crucian carp?"

"I really don't like them…"

"You'll eat it anyway. This fish is a tonic!" With that, Sun Sun Tiecheng flicked his rod—and the massive crucian carp was yanked from the pool.

The carp thrashed violently on the hook, smashing the ladder, cracking the walls—as if determined to fight Sun Sun Tiecheng to the death.

But Chu Shaoqiang still couldn't understand one thing: as an Inner State man, why would he bite the hook?

Had he been in the water too long—had his mind truly degenerated into that of a fish?

Even now, Chu Shaoqiang had not fully grasped the power of the Fool's Technique.

"Fish is delicious—but you must clean it first!" Sun Sun Tiecheng slammed the carp onto the ground, tore off a large sheet of iron from a lathe, and used it as a knife to scrape off the scales in seconds.

Then he slit its belly, removed the organs—and the crucian carp was cleaned.

Chu Shaoqiang suspected the Inner State man had truly become a fish. Throughout the entire process, the carp had only flailed—offering no other effective resistance.

Sun Sun Tiecheng stuck the fishing rod through the carp's mouth, then turned and ordered Shi Shi Gongxing to light a fire.

Shi Shi Gongxing dared not speak a word. He brought in a pile of scrap wood from outside, broke apart the lathe, built a rack, and began roasting the fish inside the factory.

Soon, the fish was cooked.

Sun Sun Tiecheng tore off a piece of fish meat and handed it to Chu Shaoqiang. "Eat."

Chu Shaoqiang took a bite of the fish meat—his emotions were complex.

He remembered the day he arrived in Puluo Province last year.

He had been entrusted by the Inner State with a vital mission.

He had sworn that as long as he drew breath, he would risk his life for the Inner State, even to the point of burning his brain and spilling his marrow.

He had publicly declared that the Inner State's kindness to him could never be repaid in a thousand lifetimes.

Now he had eaten his benefactor…

The process was bewildering.

How did things come to this point?

Chu Shaoqiang felt deeply uneasy, yet the fish tasted delicious.

This carp is incredibly tasty!

Sun Sun Tiecheng tore him another piece of fish meat.

What should we do now?

Chu Shaoqiang forced down the pain in his heart and ate the piece of fish too.

After eating, he looked at Sun Sun Tiecheng with deep guilt.

Sun Sun Tiecheng frowned: "Do it yourself—don't always rely on me to serve you!"

Chu Shaoqiang nodded and tore off a piece of fish himself.

Shi Shi Gongxing brought out two jars of wine; the three of them spent the entire afternoon finishing the large carp.

Both Chu Shaoqiang and Shi Shi Gongxing had special techniques to expand their stomachs, yet each had eaten several hundred jin of fish meat, leaving them uncomfortably full.

Sun Sun Tiecheng didn't feel full—he was still hungry, scraping every scrap of meat off the bones, leaving behind a pristine fish skeleton.

"Do you two know? This fish is still alive."

Shi Shi Gongxing stayed silent; Chu Shaoqiang didn't understand Sun Sun Tiecheng's meaning.

Sun Sun Tiecheng stroked the clean, neat fish bones: "He's truly alive—he wants to live, he can still move. Big Carp, if you want to live, move just once and prove it."

The fish bones trembled slightly.

Sun Sun Tiecheng touched the gills again: "He can still breathe—definitely alive. Breathe for me, just once."

The gills fluttered twice, as if breathing.

"He can still bite." Sun Sun Tiecheng tapped the fish's mouth; the carp opened its jaws and shook its head, as if truly trying to bite.

Plop!

Sun Sun Tiecheng picked up the fish bones and tossed them into the pond.

The bones swam in circles twice, then sank to the bottom, just like a living thing.

Sun Sun Tiecheng poked Chu Shaoqiang's forehead with his finger: "Remember what you must remember, forget what you must forget. Go now."

Chu Shaoqiang left.

He walked slowly, because his legs were too short.

Sun Sun Tiecheng told him not to worry—eat more meat, eat more bones, his limbs would grow quickly.

Once Chu Shaoqiang was far away, Sun Sun Tiecheng turned to Shi Shi Gongxing and smiled: "Remember what you must remember, forget what you must forget. You stay here. Anyone who wants to go to Neizhou—you send them down to the pond to feed the fish."

After speaking, he also poked Shi Shi Gongxing with his finger; Shi Shi Gongxing shivered, picked up the wrench, crawled under the machine tool, and got to work.

Sun Sun Tiecheng smiled, then strolled slowly out of the abandoned factory.

…

Ye Ye Songqiao, Yanyun Tower, Li Li Banfeng invited Zheng Zheng Siyi to dinner.

Zheng Zheng Siyi naturally didn't dare to be careless; he brought gifts to the banquet, and the two enjoyed their meal in perfect harmony.

After three rounds of wine, Li Li Banfeng brought up the matter: "I invited you here because I need your help. There's a pavilion on Shuiyun Road—it leads to a special place. I want to go inside."

After Liao Liao Zihui left, Zheng Zheng Siyi sealed off the area around the pavilion and assigned guards.

Those guards couldn't stop Li Li Banfeng, but he couldn't find the entrance to the special place.

Zheng Zheng Siyi said: "According to Liao's deduction, that invisible space is the residence of the Earth God of Ye Ye Songqiao."

"Invisible space?"

Zheng Zheng Siyi explained: "An invisible space is a special dimension beneath the normal one. Because its entrance is nearly impossible to find by ordinary means, we call it an invisible space."

Li Li Banfeng asked: "Are there spaces outside the normal dimension?"

"Yes," Zheng Zheng Siyi nodded. "I'm a straightforward man—I'll tell you everything I know. There's a type of space outside our familiar dimension, one that cannot be observed by ordinary methods. We call it a dark dimension space. I can't say much about dark dimension spaces because I don't know much myself."

"The Seventh Master wants to see the Earth God's residence—I can withdraw my people anytime to make it easier for you. But I must tell you two things: first, there's nothing valuable left inside the invisible space. Liao went once, Xia went once—almost everything useful was taken."

"Second, I can't open the invisible space. Only special personnel from the central office can do it. Liao has someone named Fu Fu Qingguang—he's unique. He can use a technique to open invisible spaces."

"I have no contact with Fu Fu Qingguang. If you can find him, this will be easy. If you can't, someone from the same sect as him might still manage it."

"What sect is he from?"

"I actually asked around. In Waizhou, they call them magnetic sensors. In Like Puluozhou, they call them electric cultivators. This sect is extremely rare. Members know each other and look out for one another. Outside the sect, almost no one knows they exist."

Magnetic sensors? Electric cultivators?

Could Luo Zhengnan be from this sect?

As Li Li Banfeng pondered, Zheng Zheng Siyi pulled out a box from his robe and opened it: "Seventh Master, please take a look—how's the quality of this?"

Li Li Banfeng looked inside and saw a Xiao Xuan Yun Pill.

He recognized it instantly, but before Zheng Zheng Siyi, he didn't speak rashly: "Brother Zheng, this must be an extremely precious elixir."

Zheng Zheng Siyi lowered his voice: "This elixir is extremely valuable, but useless to us—we must give it to cloud-dwelling cultivators to be of use. Three were found in the Earth God's residence. Liao turned in two, and gave me one."

"I thought it was useless to me, so I'd rather make you a gift."

Li Li Banfeng waved his hands: "I can't accept such a precious thing."

Zheng Zheng Siyi smiled: "Liao told me you're familiar with the Earth God of Qiucheng, and know many cloud-dwelling cultivators. This elixir is truly worthwhile in your hands!"

Li Li Banfeng shook his head: "I don't accept gifts without merit. I truly can't take this."

Zheng Zheng Siyi said: "To be honest, I have a favor to ask. I've worked in Like Puluozhou since graduating university—I built my family here. Over twenty years, I've grown used to it. Back in Waizhou, I couldn't even sleep well."

"Like Liao, I plan to retire and spend my final years here in Like Puluozhou. When trouble arises here in the future, I'll need your protection."

Li Li Banfeng refused repeatedly, but Zheng Zheng Siyi insisted—eventually, the Xiao Xuan Yun Pill was given to Li Li Banfeng.

Back at the mansion, He He Yuxiu was waiting to discuss matters: "Old Seven, I really don't want to keep running Ye Ye Songqiao's business. The money's small, the trouble's big—I plan to hand it all over to Lu Chunying."

Lu Lu Chunying stayed silent beside her. She didn't want the business either, but since Xiu-Xiu Jie had spoken, she couldn't refuse.

Li Li Banfeng said: "Give me the business. I like this place."

"It's settled." That day, He He Yuxiu transferred ownership.

Li Li Banfeng handed the business to Ma Wu. Ma Wu found it difficult, but since Old Seven had agreed, he said nothing.

Five days later, Ma Wu and Luo Zhengnan arrived at Ye Ye Songqiao. Ma Wu organized the business; Li Qi greeted Zheng Zheng Siyi, then took Luo Zhengnan to find the Earth God's residence.

His guess was right—Luo Zhengnan was indeed an electric cultivator. Near the pavilion, he quickly detected anomalies.

But Luo Zhengnan lacked Fu Fu Qingguang's equipment—he'd built all his tools himself. By four in the morning, after nearly an entire night, he barely opened an entrance. He couldn't enter himself—he had to stay outside to maintain it.

"Seventh Master, hurry. I estimate I can hold it open for only ten minutes."

Li Li Banfeng squeezed through the entrance into the invisible space. Inside stood a three-story Western-style villa with a small courtyard.

Looking up, he saw the night sky and stars. Looking down, he saw dew on the grass and flowers.

It was simply a courtyard beside Shuiyun Road—only invisible to normal observation.

Li Li Banfeng crossed the courtyard, entered the villa, searched the living room, then climbed to the second and third floors, and left the invisible space.

With the gloves, finding things didn't take long. Zheng Zheng Siyi had said everything valuable was gone. Li Li Banfeng wasn't looking for magic treasures or elixirs—he only wanted the Earth God's covenant document.

But the gloves detected nothing. He found no clues. The sedan-bearer likely hadn't buried the covenant at his residence.

This made it hard to find.

Xiao Ye Ci had read in a book that some Earth Gods didn't bury their covenant documents at their residences—it was a cautious choice. Now Li Li Banfeng truly understood the weight of that caution.

The sedan-bearer was dead. Unless he found the covenant guardian spirit, the document might be lost forever.

He was a sedan-bearer—what form would his covenant guardian spirit take?

Li Li Banfeng and Luo Zhengnan left Shuiyun Road and walked to the riverbank. Li Li Banfeng noticed a new bookstore with a sign reading "Lu Family Bookshop."

Master Lu's business had grown. He should visit someday—check if the layout matched his other shops, and whether Master Lu was inside.

Back at the mansion, Li Li Banfeng sat beside the lotus pond in the back courtyard, holding a meeting with himself.

Li Banfeng Yi: "The covenant guardian spirit of the sedan-bearer must be another sedan-bearer. This profession should always come in pairs."

Li Banfeng Bing: "But we never saw another sedan-bearer."

Li Banfeng Ding: "That proves the other one is hiding deeply. But if we follow this lead, we still have a chance to find him."

Li Banfeng Wu: "I think you're oversimplifying this. Who says the guardian spirit must be another sedan-bearer? If their connection were this strong, why even set up a guardian spirit?"

Li Banfeng Ji: "We have no better option. To find the covenant, we must follow the sedan-bearer lead."

Sun Sun Tiecheng: "I don't think you need to follow it at all. I already have the covenant. If you want it, I'll give it to you."

Li Banfeng Jia ended the meeting, stood up, and asked Sun Sun Tiecheng: "Brother Sun, when did you arrive?"

"Just now. I saw you were busy, didn't disturb you. Keep discussing—I'll sit a while and leave."

Li Li Banfeng shook his head: "I just have this habit—I sometimes talk to myself when thinking."

Sun Sun Tiecheng looked at Li Li Banfeng seriously: "You don't do this all the time, do you?"

"No, only occasionally. Just occasionally."

Sun Sun Tiecheng clicked his tongue: "What am I supposed to do? I took on two disciples—one you killed, and the other's a lunatic."

Li Li Banfeng shook his head: "I'm not crazy. I've seen doctors—they all said I'm not."

Sun Sun Tiecheng sighed and pulled out two arched iron tablets: "These are the covenant documents for Ye Ye Songqiao. The sedan cultivator is dead—I changed the name. Now it's Li Er. Does that suit you?"

Li Er?

"You mean me?"

Sun Sun Tiecheng nodded.

"Why call me Li Er?"

Sun Sun Tiecheng said: "You're my second disciple."

Li Li Banfeng shook his head: "No. I want to be the first disciple."

"The senior disciple has been chosen!"

"Aren't they dead?"

"Even if they're dead, they're still the senior disciple—that title still stands."

Li Li Banfeng cupped his hands and squatted on the ground. "No, I want to be the senior disciple!"

Sun Sun Tiecheng frowned. "How can you be so unreasonable?"

"Who's unreasonable?" Li Li Banfeng snapped. "Your former disciple colluded with Huineizhou, plotted rebellion in Fool's City, and tried to kill me!

If I hadn't fought him to the death, Fool's City would've fallen, and our Dao sect would've been wiped out. Yet you still want to preserve his title—doesn't that wound me?"

His words left Sun Sun Tiecheng speechless. After a long pause, he sighed. "Fine, then we'll change it to Li Yi. But you must accept the name Li Yi!"

Li Li Banfeng said, "Of course I accept it—this name is definitely better than Li Er!"

Sun Sun Tiecheng shook his head. "It's not about how good it sounds. I'm writing your name on this contract not to give you a foothold, but to help you leap straight to Yunshang!"

Indeed, Sun Sun Tiecheng's thoughts matched Li Li Banfeng's—he didn't want Li Li Banfeng sent to Huineizhou; he wanted him to skip ten levels and ascend to Yunshang.

Li Li Banfeng raised an eyebrow. "Is Yunshang still far off?"

Sun Sun Tiecheng smiled meaningfully. "I think it's not far. Otherwise, your senior brother wouldn't have died at your hands. I'll rewrite the contract for you and bury it somewhere suitable. Whether you can hold it depends on your destiny."

Li Li Banfeng asked, "So Ye Ye Songqiao isn't an easy place to defend?"

Sun Sun Tiecheng stood up. "It's prime land. Once you ascend to Yunshang, countless followers will wait for you. Who wouldn't want such a place?

If things had been kept quiet, it'd be fine. But now, the Waizhou people have made such a commotion that the entire Like Puluozhou is stirred. Everyone who wants a bite of this rich meat will reach for it.

I'll hold them off for you for a while, and catch up with a few old friends. But I can't protect you forever. Once I've dealt with these old friends, you'll be on your own."

Li Li Banfeng fell into turmoil.

It wasn't that Sun Sun Tiecheng had used any technique—it was simply that the situation was genuinely agonizing.

Li Li Banfeng already had his own territory, and now Sun Sun Tiecheng had offered him Ye Ye Songqiao.

His own territory was hidden, but its returns were limited.

Ye Ye Songqiao promised rich returns, but too many others coveted it.

PS: Ascension to Yunshang is imminent—how should he choose?

Thank you, Patron Gudu de Xiao Wen. Thank you, Patron Mu Bai Jin Yu. Thank you both for your tremendous support.

(End of Chapter)